LETTICE Margaret Everton Bisbrown, known more popularly as Margaret, dived in at the deep end at the last London Olympics. A high diver from Runcorn, Margaret was the highest ranked of three Great Britain high divers at the Olympics labelled the ‘Austerity Games’ – maintaining Merseyside’s rich tradition for success in the pool.

Born on June 8, 1919, Margaret was 28 and at the peak of her powers when she competed in the women’s 10 metre platform event, also reported as highboard diving.

Margaret’s event was one of four diving contests held on Friday August 6 – from both 10 and five metre platforms.

Competitors were asked to split their performance into two sets of dives, compulsory dives where divers performed four pre-chosen dives (from different categories) including a running one-and-half somersault forward with pike, a straight somersault backwards, standing straight header forward and running straight header forward.

Divers could then perform two dives of their own choice.

Fifteen divers from nine nations competed and Margaret finished in the top 10 in an event dominated by the Americans.

Vicki Draves, who had also struck gold in the five metre diving, added another gold in the 10 metre diving from her compatriot Patsy Elsener.

According to the official report of the Games, Draves was only third at the end of the compulsory dives, but secured first place by performing two magnificent voluntary dives.

“Birte Christoffersen, of Denmark, who finished third, had been second after the compulsory dives, during which she performed a magnificent Running Swallow Dive,” added the report.

“Alma Staudinger, of Austria, displayed fine technique and was always a danger in spite of slightly spoiling her third dive. In taking fourth place, she defeated the third USA competitor, Juno Stover, who made mistakes in both the Somersault Backward and the Reverse Dive.

“The contest showed an interesting contrast in styles between those who favoured the cautious, weak take-off, and the bold courageous divers who obtained good height and flight. It is perhaps unfortunate that the principal exponents of the bold take-off, such as Christoffersen and Stover, did not reap the reward of their courage, as they were a pleasure to watch in action.”

Sadly it was unrecorded whether Margaret Bisbrown was a “bold, courageous” diver or a “cautious” plunger.

But the Runcorn girl maintained Merseyside’s proud Olympic tradition at the 1948 Games.